The Bass Geek

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

Also, just a brief reminder that the Playboy Psychonauts share the stage next Thursday with masterful shoegaze aficionados Yuki at Locals Only. Butler Scion provides the sponsorship for this show, and that means you get in for free.

Totally free. Just show up and be above 21 to get in.

Seriously, that’s it. Plus, rumor has it that this might be Yuki’s last show for a bit before they hibernate back in the studio or whatever it is they do when they hibernate. Bands often hibernate as the weather grows colder, and it’s really nobody’s business but their own what goes on during that time. Would you interrupt a hibernating bear, even if it looked like it was just sleeping? No, you wouldn’t. And you should probably extend the same courtesy to hibernating bands. They may not be initially as vicious as hibernating bears, but they do tend to travel in packs, and I’m not sure what happens when it comes to pack mentality.

Ah, hell. The show is free – come on out.

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm (DOUBLE SHOT!).

Also, there’s only one thing I really find appealing about the picture to the left, and it fits in with the occurrences taking place over the next few weeks. Yes, the NFL preseason continues, and I choose to focus on the initial winning ways of the Steelers than the ongoing drama horror that is the career of Brett Favre. And by career, I mean season-ending interceptions.

So take a look at this bass, if you will. Black, black, black, black and gold, with the tastefully placed Steelers logo and the not-so-tastefully placed nickname. But it’s his bass, so I suppose the nickname belongs. Other than that, it looks ready to go. So, indeed, here we go, Steelers, here we go!

The new IMN podcast is up – download it here or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

Macworld reviewed some new guitar amp and effect simulations for the iPhone and iPad – the only thing it seems to be missing is a connection to a PA or amp (headphone jacks do NOT count). I’m just wondering what happens when you get a phone call during the gig.

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

The American Federation of Musicians may be close to persuading the FAA to allow instruments in airline cabins, as detailed on their website. The language is still winding its way through the legislative process, but hopefully this means bassists can once again take their instruments along with them, instead of consigning them to the hell of baggage (where much, much damage is possible) or dealing with flakey rentals whilst on the road. Please read and sign the petition, if you will.

This is the last weekend for “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” so grab some tickets at bobdirex.com and head on down. Crowds have been decent, and the reviews have been stellar.

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

So I mentioned the NPR Monitor Mix bass solo contest a few months back. Whatever happened of this promised contest, you may ask? Who won, and what did it sound like? I’m guessing nobody knows, because the blog went on vacation in May and not a peep has been heard since. I guess I should be used to bassists being ignored or overlooked at this point (and it’s not about contests anyway) – it’s just cruel to raise hopes and then dash them again. Sigh . . .

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

Also, tonight is the opening night – A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum opens this very evening at the Athenaeum Theater in beautiful Indianapolis. I love returning to this venue (even if my amp is picking up radio stations again – that’s why they make DI boxes with ground lifts, no? Thanks, SansAmp!), and the production is tremendously funny. Tickets are available through bobdirex.com, and the show runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for the next three weeks. Hope to see you there!

Well, not see. We’re secreted up in the mezzanine, and your attention shall be focused directly on the stage. But you’ll hear us, and I’ll no doubt perceive a friendly presence in the hall.

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

My new iPad holds quite a bit of sheet music in PDF form, and so far it’s been a good resource for such storage. The resolution is high enough to be useful, and the screen is big enough to show the entire page in legible form. It’s still a little slower on the large files, and normal PDF files aren’t convenient to scan through (Real Book fans, take note). But it’s awfully convenient for storage, a quick touch changes the page, and it’s hundreds of dollars cheaper than the MusicPad Pro (a device designed just for sheet music, although it does come with a foot pedal for changing the page). I wouldn’t be surprised to see this showing up on tons of music stands soon.

The new IMN podcast is up – download it or listen at the site or on WFYI HD2, Thursdays at 4pm and 10pm.

And, as it turns out, there’s no Great American Trailer Park Musical show tomorrow due to actress injury, so my run with them is done. There’s going to be two more shows next week, though, so make the effort to see their last weekend in the run. Music rehearsals start Sunday for the next BobDirex production, so that’ll be more than enough to keep me busy.